Tree grafting gauge



MarCh 3, 1945. LOVISONE Q 2,371,454

TREE GRAFTING GAUGE Filed Sept. 20, 1944 Inventor Lou/s. Z; ows ONE Patented Mar. 13, 1945 UNITED STATES P TENT OFFICE TREE GRAFTING GAUGE Louis Lovisone, Lower Lake, Calif.

Application September 20, 1944, Serial No. 555,006

3 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in grafting gauges for use in grafting scions to tree limbs, the primary object in view being to provide a simply constructed, inexpensive device which will save time and labor in such grafting operations, enable the grafting operation to be performed with precision and accuracy, obviate damage to trees, and provide for accurate fitting of the scions in grafting. Y

Other and subordinate objects are also comprehended by my invention, all of which, together with the precise nature of my improvements, will be readily understood when the succeeding de- I scription and claims are read with reference to' the drawing accompanying and forming part of Referring to the drawing by numerals, my invention, in the preferred illustrated embodiment thereof, comprises an elongated, rectangular gauge plate I of steel, preferably, and any suitable size, which is provided at one end, hereinafter termed the leading end, with a pair of right angled corner prongs 2, preferably curved longitudinally, and extending from what constitutes the rear side of the plate I with tapering edges 3 and hooked, sharp pointed terminals 4. A single prong 5 tapering edgewise and sidewise to a point 6 extends from the other, or tail, end of said plate I at a right angle thereto and from the rear side of the plate I in the longitudinal center of the same. 'The prong 5, for reasons presently seen, may be shorter than theprongs 2. A relatively long V-shaped notch I is provided in the longitudinal center of the'plate I and which diverges toward the leading end of said plate and opens onto said end. A pair of strips 8, of case-hardened steel, are suitably secured to the sides of the notch I, as a lining for the sides, and are provided with sharp longitudinal cutting edges 9 on the rear side of the plate I projecting for a suitable distance from said side. The sides of the notch 'l are beveled, I55

as at In, to converge transversely rearwardly and the strips 8 taper transversely to thecutting edges 9. The strips 8 may be welded to-the plate I, as indicated, for example, at II. As will be seen 6 by reference to Figure 6, the described 'beveling ,of the sides of the notch 'I and the tapering form of the strips 9 slant the strips so that the same converge transversely and rearwardly. This provides for the cutting edges 9 holding firmly in a 10 limb into which they may be forced.

In a tree grafting operation, after a limb, such as is designated I2, has been cut off to provide a flat end I3, the described gauge is disposed flatwise against the selected side of the limb I2 with the prongs 2 driveninto said end I2 and the prong 5 driven into the side of said limb, also the cutting edges 9 of the strips 8. A'V-shaped gash, or cut, I4 is then formed in said side of the limb I2 from the cut-off end I2 using the notch formed by the strips 8 as a gauge or guide.

The gash, or cut, I4 may be started before the gauge is applied and finished as described, if de- I sired. For instance, the limb I2 may besawed to start the notch and the saw cut spread by wedging and the gash, or cut, when finished with the aid of the gauge. The gauge may then be imposed against the end portion of a scion, not shown, to mark said end by means of the cutting edges 9 of the strips 8 and cut with aknife to shape the same for fitting in the gash, or

cut, I4.

As will be seen, my invention enables formation of the gash, or cut, in the tree and trimming of the scion to fit he gash, or cut, with absolute v accuracy and with a minimum of time and labor.

ceptible of modification without departing from the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A grafting gauge for application to a tree limb having a cut-ofi end, said gauge comprising an elongated rectangular plate adapted to be opposed fiat against said limb with one end substantially flush with said end of the limb and provided with an elongated V notch in the longitudinal center thereof opening onto said end of the plate and for use as a guide in forming a similarly shaped cut in .said limb, and means on said plate for anchoring the same to saidlimb.

2. A grafting gauge for application to a tree limb having a cut-ofi end, said gauge comprising an elongated rectangular plate adapted to be opposed flat against said limb with one end substantially flush with said end of the limb and provided with an elongated V notch in the longitudinal center thereof opening onto said end of the plate and for use as a guide in forming a similarly shaped cut in said limb, and means on said plate for anchoring the same to said limb, comprising a pair of right angled corner prongs on said end of the plate for hooking over the cut-ofl end of the limb, and driving into the same, and a single prong on the other end of said plate extending laterally and centrally from said other end for driving into the side of the limb.

3. A grafting gauge for application to a tree limb having a cut-off end, said gauge comprising an elongated rectangular plate-adapted to be opposed flat against said limb with one end substantially flush with said end of the limb and provided with an elongated V notch in the iongitudinal center thereof opening onto said end of the plate and for use as a guide in forming a similarly shaped cut in said limb, and means on said plate for anchoring the same to said limb, and a pair of strip1ike members extending along the sides of said notch and having sharp longitudinal edges 'for penetrating the side of said limb.

LOUIS LOVISONE. 

